Reptiles are cold blooded, meaning that they must regulate their internal body temperatures through their environment. They accomplish this by basking on objects elevated from the water in the sun to warm themselves, and foraging for food underwater or in the shade to cool themselves. Reptiles typically cycle between warming and cooling a few times a day. Turtles in particular can typically be seen basking on logs in shallow ponds rather than the shoreline, because logs are out of the shade, and have greater safety from predators. For turtles, basking also includes benefits such as killing algae and fungus, and strengthening the shell.
Currently, there are no commercially available reptile and amphibian basking platforms, and the only alternative are logs, which pose a few issues. First, a log large enough to allow turtles to bask is very heavy and difficult to move. Also, this is merely the dry weight, and the logs become even heavier after being submerged, making it even more difficult to remove. In addition, logs must rest on the bottom of the water body, limiting the depth at which you can place them. Finally, logs decompose in a marine environment requiring constant replacement.